Beverage container having sight gage means



June 3, 19 69 J. H. FOX, JR 3,447,375

BEVERAGE CONTAINER HAVING SIGHT GAGE MEANS Filed Dec. 9, 1966 Sheet of 2 f IN 33 JOHN H. F

3Q BY HIS ATTQRNEYS June 3, 1969 J. H. FOX, JR 3,447,375

BEVERAGE CONTAINER HAVING SIGHT GAGE MEANS Filed Dec. 9. 1966 Sheet 2 of 2 JOHN H- BY 21%,, )MAW %&

Hi8 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,447,375 BEVERAGE CONTAINER HAVING SIGHT GAGE MEANS John H. Fox, Jr., Richmond, Va., assignor to Reynolds Metals Company, Richmond, Va., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 9, 1966, Ser. No. 600,592 Int. Cl. Gtllf 23/02 U.S. Cl. 73-327 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure relates to an improved beverage container having sight gage means made of a solid light transmitting material and extending through opaque outer wall means of such container wherein such sight gage means has outer easily visible viewing surface means and inner surface means arranged to be surrounded by a beverage within such container, such outer surface means having a normally bright appearance which becomes dark upon surrounding the inner surface means with beverage.

This invention relates to beverage containers and more particularly to an improved beverage container having improved sight gage means.

Many carbonated beverages are currently sold in pressurized container means such as kegs, or the like, wherein it would be desirable to determine the amount of beverage within such keg in a simple and inexpensive manner. Although many types of liquid level gages are available most of such gages are complicated, expensive, and provide undesirable easily damaged protrusions from exterior wall means of an associated beverage keg.

Accordingly, it is a feature of this invention to provide an improved beverage container having improved sight gage means of simple and economical construction.

Another feature of this invention is to provide an improved beverage container having improved sight gage means installed therein at a predetermined level and made of a solid light transmitting material which has easily visible outer surface means adapted to be installed substantially coplanar with associated outer wall means of such beverage container to preclude the likelihood of damage to such sight gage means, wherein such outer surface means has a normally bright appearance which turns dark upon surrounding its inner surface means with beverage.

Another feature of this invention is to provide an improved beverage container of the character mentioned having unique solid sight gage means which uses no moving parts.

Another feature of this invention is to provide an improved pressurized beverage container of the character mentioned having opening means in its outer wall means and substantially tubular sealing means made of a yieldable material extending through such opening means wherein such sight gage means is fastened firmly in position in a liquid-tight and inexpensive manner upon being pressed through such tubular sealing means to thereby urge portions of its yieldable wall means against surface means defining such opening means.

Therefore, it is in an object of this invention to provide an improved beverage container having one or more of the novel features of this invention as set forth above or hereinafter shown or described.

Other objects, uses, and advantages of this invention are apparent from a reading of this description which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating one exemplary embodiment of the beverage container or keg of this invention utilizing a single sight gage means in one of its end wall means.

FIGURE 2 is a view looking perpendicular to such end wall means.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view illustrating improved solid sight gage means and associated tubular sealing means used in the beverage keg of FIGURE 1 and illustrating a portion of such tubular sealing means broken away.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view illustrating another embodiment of improved solid sight gage means and associated tubular sealing means extending through an elliptical opening in a fragmentary portion of outer wall means of an associated beverage keg of this invention and showing a portion of such tubular sealing means broken away.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view on the line 7-7 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 9 is a view looking normal to the viewing surface means of the sight gage of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary perspective view illus trating another exemplary embodiment of the improved beverage keg of this invention which utilizes a plurality of six sight gage means installed at six different levels in one of its end wall means to more accurately determine the beverage level within such keg.

FIGURES 11 through 13 illustrate the beverage keg of FIGURE 10 viewed normal to its one end wall means and illustrating by shading the appearance of such sight gage means at three exemplary beverage levels, represented by dotted lines.

While the various features of this invention are hereinafter illustrated and described as being particularly adaptable for providing improved substantially cylindrical beverage container means having improved sight gage means such as a pressurized beverage keg for carbonated beverages such as beer, soda pop, or the like, it is to be understood that the various features of this invention can be utilized singly or in any combination thereof to provide improved beverage container means of all sizes and shapes and irrespective of whether each of such container means is pressurized.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized to illustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

In the exemplary embodiment of this invention illustrated in FIGURES 1-5 of the drawings, an improved beverage container shown as a beverage keg 20 of substantially cylindrical peripheral outline is illustrated. Keg 20 in this example of the invention is particularly adapted to contain a carbonated beverage such as beer, soda pop, or the like.

Beverage keg 20 has side wall means such as a side wall 21 of substantially circular cross sectional outline and a pair of end wall means or end walls shown as a front wall 22 and a rear wall 23. Front wall 22 in this example is concave inwardly toward the center of beverage keg 20 and has spigot means shown as a spigot 24 installed in its central portion, as seen in FIGURE 3, in a recessed manner so that the outer periphery of such spigot is nested within concave front wall 22 in a protected manner. Siphon tube means shown as a siphon tube 25 extends from the lower inside surface designated by the numeral 3 30 of keg 20 to spigot 24 and is in flow communication therewith.

Beverage keg 20 has pressurizing means shown as a pressurized bottle 31 of carbon dioxide suitably installed therein which enables beverage within keg 20 to be pressurized in a known manner. Upon pulling handle 32 of spigot 24 outwardly away from front wall 22 to open such spigot beverage is forced through spigot 24 in a known manner.

As seen in FIGURES 13, sight gage means shown as a single sight gage 33 is provided in front wall 22 immediately below spigot 24. Sight gage 33 of this example is used, in effect, as a low beverage level indicator to indicate when the beverage has been drawn from keg 20 beneath the level or installed position of sight gage 33.

Sight gage 33 is made of a solid light transmitting material and has an outer easily visible viewing surface means or viewing surface designated by the numeral 35 at one terminal end, tapered inner surface means shown as a substantially conical inner surface 36, and a central rodlike portion 37. Conical inner surface 36 is arranged within beverage keg 20 so that it is easily surrounded by beverage within keg 20.

The optical characteristics of sight gage 33 are such that with surface 36 surrounded by air and upon exposing outside surface 35 to light such light is transmitted through gage 3 3 and reflected back sufficiently to give surface 35 a bright appearance. However, upon submerging conical surface 36 in a beverage such as beverage within keg 20 the normally bright appearance of outer surface 35 becomes dark.

Thus, it is Seen that with the beverage level about sight gage 33 such sight gage has a normally comparatively dark appearance; however, once sufiicient beverage is used from within keg 20 to drop the beverage level below the level of the sight gage so that its inner surface 36 is exposed to air, outer surface 35 appears very bright. In this exemplary application the single gage 33 is used as a low level indicator gage.

Sight gage 33 is installed in inwardly concave wall 22 beneath spigot 24 so that its outer surface 35 lies substantially coplanar with front wall 22 and is easily viewed upon looking toward the front of beverage keg 20, see FIGURE 3. This subtsantially coplanar arrangement of surface 35 is made possible due to the construction of gage 33 and the manner of installing such gage in position as will be described in detail subsequently.

As seen particularly in FIGURE of the drawings, sight gage 33 is easily installed in position by press-fitting, or the like, and this is achieved by providing opening means shown as an opening 40 in front wall 22, Opening 40 in this example is of circular peripheral outline and is adapted to receive sealing means shown as a tubular sealing sleeve 41 therewithin. Sleeve 41 is made of a yielding rubber-like material having excellent liquid scaling properties.

Sight gage 33 is made of a solid transparent material as previously mentioned and its rod-like portion 37 is of circular cross section which terminates in conical surface 36. The diameter of central portion 37 is such that it can be installed in position through sleeve 41 in a tight manner after installing sleeve 41 through opening 41.

Gage 33 has a head portion or a flat disk-like head 42 also of circular peripheral outline which extends outwardly beyond the peripheral outer edges of cylindrical center portion 37. Head 42 has substantially planar outside surface means arranged substantially perpendicular to the axis of central portion 37 and defining viewing surface 35 and inner bearing surface means shown as an annular bearing surface 43. Bearing surface 43 is adapted to be sealed against a flange portion of sleeve 41 upon fastening sight gage 33 in position to provide a liquidtight seal.

Annular groove means shown as an annular groove 44 is also provided in central portion 37 of sight gage 33 immediately beneath its head portion 42. Groove 44 receives a portion of sleeve 41 which is forced therein upon pressing gage 3 3 through installed sleeve 41.

As seen particularly in FIGURE 5 of the drawings, tubular sleeve gasket 41 is initially of subtsantially circular cylindrical outline having outwardly extending peripheral flange means shown as a flange 45 extending around the periphery thereof at its outer end. Sleeve 41 is installed through opening in front wall 22 so that its flange is supported by wall means adjoining opening 40 and the wall thickness and inside diameter of sleeve 41 is controlled so that a proper seal is provided upon installing gage 33 therethrough.

The inside diameter of sleeve 41 and outside diameter of gage 33 is such that the portion of sleeve 41 adjoining groove 44 is urged into such groove and compressed radially by portions of front wall 22. The portion of sleeve 41 arranged within beverage keg 20 on the inside of wall 22 bulges outwardly as shown at 47 to provide a fixed liquid-tight seal and prevent the removal of sight gage 33 from within beverage keg 20.

Thus, it is seen that sight gage 33 is simply and easily installed in position merely by pressing such sight gage through tubular sealing sleeve 41 so that the outer flange 45 of gasket 41 is compressed against front wall 22 by annular bearing surface 43 of gage 33 and a portion of sleeve 41 adjoining groove 44 is compressed firmly there in. The resilient yielding nature of tubular sleeve 41 and the construction of groove 44 assures that sight gage 33 is held firmly in a liquid-tight manner at the predetermined level in front wall 22 and such liquid-tight seal is maintained even after extended use in pressurized keg 20.

Another exemplary sight gage which may be preferred in some applications of this invention is illustrated in FIGURES 6-9 of the drawings and designated generally by the numeral 50. With the exception of having a substantially elliptical cross sectional configuration, sight gage 50 is identical in function and general overall construction to sight gage 33. Gage 50 may be made of the same material as gage 33 and the previous description of operation and preferred method of installation made for gage 33 is fully applicable to gage 50 and hence will not be repeated in detail.

Sight gage 50 has a disk-like head portion or head 51 of substantially elliptical peripheral outline. Head 51 has an outer substantially planar surface 52 which defines outer viewing surface means and such head is comparatively thin in a direction normal to planar viewing surface 52.

Gage 50 also has a central rod-like portion 53 which is of elliptical cross section and head portion 51 extends outwardly beyond central portion 53 so as to define annular inner bearing surface means 54 on the inside surface of head 51 of elliptical outline. The inner end of rodlike portion 53 terminates in tapered surface means shown as a tapered surface 56. Tapered surface 56 tapers to a single rectilinear edge designated by the numeral 60.

Inner surface 56 when surrounded by air reflects light entering surface 52 outwardly to provide a bright appearance on outer surface 52 in much the same manner as previously described in connection with surface 35 of sight gage 33. Once beverage surrounds inner surface 56 the appearance of outer surface 52 is comparatively dark in the same manner as described previously in connection with gage 33.

Central portion 53 has groove means 61 arranged therein adjoining its head portion 51. Groove 61 is adapted to receive a portion of associated tubular sealing sleeve means, to be presently described.

Tubular sealing means shown as a tubular sealing sleeve 63 is also provided for association with sight gage 50 and such tubular sealing sleeve has an elliptical outline corresponding to rod-portion 53. Sleeve 63 also has an outwardly projecting flange 64 at its outer end which is adapted to be compressed between bearing surface 54 and wall means adjoining an associated elliptical opening in outer wall means of an associated beverage keg.

As seen in FIGURE 6, sight gage 50 is adapted to be inserted through a cooperating elliptical Opening 65 in outer wall means of an associated beverage keg. In this exemplary illustration gage 50 is shown installed in po s1 tion in a fragmentary portion of an outer wall also designated by the numeral 22; thus, it will be appreciated that by providing a proper elliptical opening 65 in front wall 22 sight gage 50 could be easily and simply installed in position in keg 20.

Gage 50 is adapted to be pressed in position through opening 65 and firmly held in a liquid-tight manner in much the same way as described in connection with the installation of gage 33 through its associated opening 40 in front wall 22. As previously, once gage 50 is pressed through sleeve 63 a portion of such sleeve is yieldingly compressed inwardly within groove 61 while the remaining portion within wall 22 bulges outwardly as shown at 67 to hold gage 50 firmly in position even in a pressurized ke From the above description it is seen that sight gage 50 may be used in the same manner as sight gage 33 and interchanged therewith merely by providing an elliptical opening in associated wall means corresponding to the elliptical configuration of gage 50. Gage 50, of course, provides a larger viewing surface 52 and is used where such larger surface is preferred.

Another exemplary embodiment of this invention 1s 1llustrated in FIGURES l013 of the drawings. The beverage keg illustrated in FIGURES l0-13 is identical to beverage keg 20 with the exception that a plurality of SIX sight gages is provided in the keg of FIGURES -13; therefore, the beverage keg of this latter embodiment will be designated generally by the numeral and parts thereof which are identical to corresponding parts of beverage keg 20 will be designated by the same numeral as previously followed by the letter designation A and not described again in detail.

The six sight gages provided in the front wall 22A of keg 20A are identical to sight gage 33 and, of course, will be designated by the numeral 33A as explained above.

Each sight gage 33A is provided in front wall 22A at a different fluid level. The use of a plurality of gages in the manner illustrated enables a fairly accurate determination of the amount of beverage in keg 20A.

Beverage keg 20A is shown utilizing sight gage 33A at six positions or levels; however, it will be appreciated that such gages may be used at any desired number of levels. Also, it may be preferred to use a plurality of gages identical to gage 50 at various levels in an associated keg.

FIGURES 11-13 illustrate the manner in which gages 33A are utilized to determine the beverage level within keg 20A. In each instance each gage 33A that has its inner surface submerged in beverage has a dark apparance on its outer surface 35A and a bright appearance, shown in each case by proper shading, when its inner surface is not submerged.

At the beverage level indicated by the dotted line 70 in FIGURE 11, five sight gages 33A appear dark while the top gage 33A has a bright appearance. With the beverage level dropped to the position indicated at 71 In FIGURE 12, it will be seen that the top three gages 33A have a bright appearance while the lower three gages 33A have a dark appearance. And finally, with the beverage level dropped to the position indicated :at 72, the top five sight gages 33A are shown as having a bright appearance while the bottom gage 33A has a dark appearance. Sight gages 33A enable one to determine the amount of beverage in keg 20A by a quick glance at front wall 22A Beverage kegs 20 and 20A shown in this disclosure of the invention are made of an opaque high strength ma terial and are preferably made of metal containing aluminum. The unique sight gages 33 and 33A respectively used in such kegs (as well as sight gage 50) are fully operative without requiring any separate power source. Such gages need only be viewed in the process of drawing beverage from their associated keg with such keg exposed to a source of either natural or artificial light.

Each sight gage 33, 33A, and 50 has no moving parts, is of economical construction, and is easily installed in either an existing beverage keg or a new keg with minimum effort. In addition, each sight gage has a head portion which is comparatively thin and flat enabling it to be installed substantially coplanar with an associated outer wall thereby minimizing the likelihood of damage thereto.

Each sight gage 33, 33A or 50 may be made of any suitable material which provides the above described op tical performance. Sight gages which have been used successfully which were made of a plastic material manufactured by the E. I. du Pont De Nemours and Company of Wilmington, Del. and sold under the name of Lucite.

The installation of sight gage means in the inwardly concave front wall means 22 or 22A of keg 20 or 20A, in effect, results in such sight gages being installed in a protected position. This coupled with the fact that the exposed portion of each sight gage is arranged practically flush with its associated wall assures prolonged use of such gages with minimum chance of damage thereto.

The tubular sleeve means 41 and 63 have been described in this disclosure of the invention as being made of a yielding rubber-like material. Although any suitable rubber or plastic may be used sleeves made of polyvinylchloride have been used successfully and are preferred.

Terms such as top, bottom, side wall, front wall, rear wall, and the like, have been used in this disclosure of the invention merely to identify the relative positions of various walls and components as illustrated in the drawings and such terms should not be considered as limiting the scope of this invention in anyway.

Thus, it is seen that this invention provides an improved beverage container which has inexpensive, easily installed, and simply used sight gage means for determining beverage level therewithin.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been disclosed as required by statute, other form may be used, all coming within the scope of the claimed subject matter which follows.

What is claimed is:

1. A beverage container comprising, exposed outer wall means, opening means provided in said outer Wall means and arranged at a predetermined level, sleeve gasket means made of a yielding rubber-like material and having a tubular inner end portion and an outer end provided with a peripheral annular flange extending outwardly therefrom, said inner end portion being extended through said opening means with said outer flange being placed against said outer wall means, and sight gage means made of a solid light transmitting material and having outer easily visible viewing surface means and inner surface means arranged to be surrounded by a beverage within said container, said sight gage means comprising a central rodlike portion having tapered surface means defining said inner surface means, a head portion extending outwardly beyond the peripheral edge of said central portion, and annular groove means in said central portion arranged immediately adjacent said head portion, said head portion having outside surface means arranged substantially transverse to said central portion and defining said outer viewing surface means and having inner bearing surface means, said sight gage means extending through said sleeve gasket means sandwiching said annular flange between said outer wall means and said inner bearing surface means, with said outer wall means compressing said annular section of said sleeve means radially inwardly within said annular groove means and against said sight gage means to hold said sight gage means in position in a liquid-tight manner, and said outer surface means being normally bright in appearance and upon surrounding said inner surface means with said beverage said outer surface means changes from said bright appearance to a dark apperance, whereby the appearance of said sight gage means determines the presence of beverage against said inner surface means and hence whether the beverage level is above said predetermined level.

2. The beverage container as set forth in claim 1 in which said head portion is comparatively thin in a direction parallel to the axis of said sight gage means and its outside surface means defining said outer viewing surface means comprises a substantially planar surface enabling said outer viewing surface means .to be installed in position substantially coplanar with said exposed outer wall means and thus reduce the likelihood of damage to said sight gage means.

3. The beverage container as set forth in claim 1 in which, said opening means comprises circular opening means, said central rod-like portion is of circular cross section which is adapted to be received through said opening means and terminates at its inner end in conical surface means defining said tapered surface mens, and said head portion comprises a fiat circular disk-like head having a diameter larger than said circular opening means and annular surface means defining said bearing surface means.

4. The beverage container as set forth in claim 1 in which, said opening means comprises elliptical opening means, said central rod-like portion has an elliptical cross section corresponding to said elliptical opening means and terminates at its inner end in said tapered surface means which tapers to a single rectilinear edge, and said head portion comprises a flat elliptical disk-like head having a peripheral area corresponding to while being larger than said elliptical opening means and having annular bearing surface means of elliptical outline.

5. The beverage container as set forth in claim 1 in which said rubber-like material comprises polyvinylchloride and said sight gage means is held in position solely by friction and the yielding character of said polyvinylchloride.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 821,872 5/1906 Hodges et al. 73-327 X 1,883,971 10/1932 Kryzanowsky 73-327 2,533,578 12/1950 Gomersall 73-334 2,611,271 9/1952 Van Ham 73-331 2,627,748 2/1953 Maybach et a1. 73-327 2,964,993 12/1960 Witt 350-96 X 2,980,957 4/1961 Hicks. 3,212,335 10/1965 Guitfre 73-328 3,362,224 1/1968 Melone 73-327 3,005,345 10/1961 Kaufman et al. 73-327 2,172,864 9/1939 Calva et al 220-82 X FOREIGN PATENTS 996,822 6/1965 Great Britain.

LOUIS R. PRINCE, Primary Examiner.

DANIEL M. YASICH, Assist'ant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

